Injury woes

Hamstring problem cuts short McMillan's competition at U.S. Championships.

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The Rolla Daily News - Rolla, MO

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Posted Jun. 24, 2013 at 8:19 PM
Updated Jun 24, 2013 at 8:26 PM

Posted Jun. 24, 2013 at 8:19 PM
Updated Jun 24, 2013 at 8:26 PM

DES MOINES, Iowa

Rolla Olympian Chantae McMillan could not overcome injury woes while competing in the heptathlon last week at the U.S. Track and Field Championships.

McMillan, who is now sponsored by Nike, moved her training headquarters from Dayton, Ohio to the University of Florida shortly after she underwent knee surgery following her return from the 1012 London Olympic Games.

According to her high school track coach, Don Knapp, McMillan said her training had been going very well until she suffered a strained hamstring several weeks ago.

The hamstring continued to hamper McMillan entering last week's U.S. Championships. However, she wanted to attempt to qualify for the World Championships so she decided to compete.

The seven-event senior heptathlon was held Thursday and Friday at Des Moines.

McMillan finished Thursday's four events despite the fact her hamstring began to knot up and worsen with each event.

She finished last in the 17-woman field in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of :14.03, tied for 13th in the high jump at 5-5 1/4 and then had her best finish of the meet – placing second in the shot put at 44-4.

McMillan ended Thursday's competition by placing 17th in the 200-meter dash at :25.96.

She did not compete in Friday's long jump, javelin and 800-meter events.

McMillan qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympic team by placing third in last year's U.S. Olympic Trials.

During last year's Summer Olympics McMillan finished 29th in the heptathlon field.

Her Olympic teammate, Sharon Day, captured her third consecutive U.S. Championships heptathlon national title last week, totaling 6,550 points, which easily outdistanced the rest of the field.

McMillan captured the Missouri Class 4 long jump state titles in 2004-05 for Rolla High and went on to earn multiple All-America titles in both indoor and outdoor NCAA national meets for the University of Nebraska.

Results

Chantae McMillan's results during last week's U.S. Championships heptathlon: